The perspiration began to stand out on my forehead, and a strange feeling of horror came over me as I thought of the man's position, and of what might happen if he could not get back; while just as thoughts of suffocation ensuing came rushing through my mind, the object of my thoughts suddenly said in a low husky voice-- "Bob, lad?" "Hullo, mate!" "You and Barney get hold of a leg each, and haul me back, or I shall be suffocated." "Yah! not you; wiggle yourself back, matey." "There arn't no wiggle left in me, lad, and it's so hot that I can't breathe." "Have another try," whispered Barney. We heard a rustling, struggling sound as if some one was striving hard to get forward or back, but without result, and then the voice came more husky and smothered than ever. "No go, lads. Look sharp and have me out, or I'm a goner." "Get out," growled Bob, quite excitedly. "You don't half try." "I did, mate, but I'm getting worse," came back faintly, "I'm a-swelling up and fitting tighter every moment. Can't yer get me out?" "Here, ketch hold of one o' his legs, Barney," growled Bob, hurriedly. "We must have him out somehow. Got him?" "There arn't no room, messmate." "Lie up close to me and reach in together. Head in too." A low groan now came from the hold, and though I could not see, of course I knew what was going on, and could estimate the difficulties of the position. Dumlow's two messmates, in their efforts to help him, were making his position more perilous, for they were forcing their heads and shoulders into the opening, and stopping off what little air could get to him. There was another groan. "Don't make a row, lad, we're doing our best," came in a distant voice which sounded as far away as poor Dumlow's groans. "Got him, matey?" "Ay, ay." "Both together. Yo ho, ahoy!" This was all quite in a smothered tone, and accompanied by jerking and dragging sounds, which as they were kept up were accompanied and followed by feeble groans. "Quick, quick!" I cried. "Have him out, or they'll hear on deck." No one answered, and I moved forward and tried to help by clasping Bob round the waist. "Ahoy! Ahoy! Haul away--hoy!" All in quite a smothered whisper, and then there was another moan. "Now again. All together." I joined in and dragged with all my might, but our efforts were in vain, Barney paused to get a fresh messmate's legs. "He's worked himself on till he's regularly jammed in," growled Bob. "Now then, once more; we must have him, or he'll be a dead 'un. Haul. Now then!" We all dragged together. There was a sudden giving way, a rush, and I was on my back with two men--it felt like three--upon me, and I dare not call out in my horror and pain, but had to lie there listening to passing footsteps overhead until they had gone, and then to my greater horror Bob Hampton growled out-- "Well, we've got his legs, anyhow." There was a smothered groan once more.